I’m currently a junior at a public school and want to get into Princeton because it is my dream college. I wanted to know if I had a chance or if there is anything I should do that could help my admission look better. Here’s some info:
GPA: UW is 3.79 and weighted is 3.96
SAT: I took two times and both below 1900 but I plan to study over summer and pass 2100
Classes: currently taking 3 AP classes (but 4 AP tests) with 2 honors classes. Next year, 3 AP classes and few honors (plan to get a 4 and 5 on all exams)
School activities: I’m a officer at a new club (not anything exceptional though). I’ve been a part of 2 other clubs but never been committed to any of them. I’m also in 3 honors societies (science, English, Spanish)
Volunteering: I have about 100+ hours from about 6 different places that I volunteered at. I’m committed to 3 of those place and volunteer regularly at them.
Other activities: I’ve been doing Indian classical dance for 6 years and have two Guinness book records for it. I have completed a Rangapravesam (kind of like a dance graduation) I’ve also been a part of 50+ dance programs.
Would I have a shot at Princeton and is there anything else I could do to make my application stand out? Thanks!
You will need higher scores. Your Guiness book records are interesting.
Realistically? It would be impossible for you to get in. Anywhere above the University of Washington is a reach for you.
Your SAT extremely low
Your GPA is mediocre
Your extra curricular activities are very lacking
Your ‘interesting’ factor is pretty high but that doesn’t mean anything if it’s not coupled with the other criteria
@HormonallyAReck Wow! That is very harsh!! I don’t think his GPA is mediocre and his SAT is NOT extremely low. However, I would agree that they are both low for Princeton. You might want to check out the Princeton boards in CC and see who are accepted/rejected. There are a lot of great schools for you to attend, but probably none of them are Ivy leagues, unless you have a hook/URM/athlete.
Being completely honest, you really don’t have a shot. Even with a 2100 you would not have a shot. Your GPA and SAT are very good, but nothing on the level of Princeton. Average SAT and GPA from my school is around a 2300 and 4.7.
If you can get your SAT up to 2200+, I’d say that you’d have a shot. I would focus on your Indian dancing in your application (submit a dance supplemental). It’ll make you stand out a lot more than your other ECs, which seem pretty generic. Make sure that you have stellar essays.
Thanks! I think I’ll just apply just to see but I’ll probably apply to more reasonable schools that I have a better chance at.
Passing 2100 won’t get you into an Ivy with those other stats and ECs.
@lonetreegrad
@OrchildBloom
Come one guys. Do you know what sucks more than not getting into Princeton? Thinking you have a shot and not getting in. Don’t give the dude false hope, it’s just cruel. His application is way too weak to get into any school above a UW or UVA level. I’m sorry but numbers don’t lie: his GPA has an acceptance rate of 5.9 and his SAT score has an acceptance rate of 5.2. He has no strong academic extra curriculars. The only thing he has is the really cool Guinness Records record but cool things like that only help when they are coupled with high scores.
I think HormonallyAReck that lonetreegrad and orchidbloom are essentially saying the same thing as you are. As the boards stand, OP has no realistic shot. Though I do not think it matters all that much that they don’t have any academic ECS.
As ‘holistic’ as the process is, your application will be cut if you do not meet the basic grades and standardized tests of these schools.
This is one reason that the Ivies have single digit acceptance rates: students who have no chance of acceptance applying just for the heck of it.
To answer your initial question, no, you probably wouldn’t get it. Most people don’t. Even with an SAT score of 2300, you still probably wouldn’t get in. Most get rejected. Almost 95% of people who apply don’t get in. So consider that
Never going to happen.
Move on.